The body relies on the diet to replenish its internal antioxidant stores. Certain foods that are grown organically, have low allergenicity, are virtually free of intrinsic toxins and are rich in antioxidants can reasonably be called “superfoods.” These include: spinach, broccoli, beets, kale, red peppers, other deeply colored vegetables; kelp, sea buckthorn and other marine algae; beans and uncooked nuts, seeds, and sprouts; buckwheat flour; prunes and raisins; cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries; plums and cherries; and other fruits including apples, avocados, grapes (esp. red), kiwis, lemons, bananas, orange, grapefruit, papaya, and pineapple. Olives and their oil are rich in polyphenols, and palm oil is rich in vitamin E. Super-antioxidant spices include onions, garlic, ginger, rosemary, thyme, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, fennel, and fenugreek. Among super-antioxidant beverages, the green and black teas offer advantages over fruit juices with sugars that can interfere with antioxidant absorption, or wines with their individualized alcoholic effects. And dark chocolate is very rich in antioxidant polyphenols! Many
medicinal herbal supplements supply antioxidants, but standardized
preparations stand out: ginkgo biloba extract, milk thistle (poorly
absorbed, so the phytosome form is advisable), bilberry, hawthorn,
and pine bark or grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts. These have
multiple biochemical mechanisms, so proven clinical results outrank
their test-tube antioxidant potency. For more details, see Why You
Should Take Vitamins: Developing Your Personal Vitamin Program. |
